David Artell has confirmed defender Harry Davis is free to leave Crewe Alex.

The club's longest-serving player has not featured since his father, Steve Davis, was sacked as manager earlier this month and appears to be unsettled.

Artell, who had made it clear he wanted the 25-year-old to stay, has now accepted the centre half wants to move on.

He said: "I first spoke to Harry a couple of days into the job and I told him that I didn’t want him to leave and that he was an important part of the plans. He told me he wanted to leave.

"That is still the case, so if he doesn't want to play for the football club then he needs to go.

"I’ve said that we need players here who are prepared to run through a brick wall for Crewe Alexandra and if their heart and head is elsewhere then I am not interested in them.

"I am not one for falling out with people and once it is all sorted out, we will shake hands on it and move on but it is clear he doesn’t want to be here, so the ball in his court. He needs to move on."

Artell will be extremely keen that Davis leaves swiftly so he can spend his wages elsewhere. The transfer window will shut at 11pm on Tuesday.